Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Very Ripe Bananas (mashed)
  • ½ cup Unsalted Butter (melted)
  • 2 Large Eggs (room temperature)
  • ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
  • ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 ¾ cups All-Purpose Flour (spooned and levelled)
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour the 9x5 inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy lifting.
  2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mash the bananas. Add the melted butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until just combined and smooth.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Ensure the baking soda is evenly distributed.
  4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold them together until just combined. Stop mixing the moment the flour disappears to avoid overmixing.
  5. If using nuts or chocolate chips, gently fold them in now.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top lightly with the spatula.
  7. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. If the top darkens too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with aluminium foil for the remaining bake time.
  8. The loaf is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
  9. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully lifting it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.